Estonians Do Something Right Again While We Pay for Light at Gas Stations in Riga

While Riga residents discover this week that fuel prices are rising faster than a municipal employee's salary before elections, Tallinn Estonians are quietly reducing prices. Well yes, they're so slow that even their fuel price increases happen in reverse.

The situation in Vilnius is even more dramatic — gasoline already costs 1.58 euros per liter, which is almost as expensive as coffee in Old Riga. Lithuanians, of course, say it's the "price of European integration," but actually they just don't know how to read price tags properly.

In Liepāja, local fuel dealer Jānis comments: "Here in Karosta our gasoline costs the same as in Riga, but at least we don't lose an hour in traffic jams to get to the gas station. Plus the tram runs on electricity — we don't really care what happens with gasoline."

Meanwhile in Riga, "Circle K" employees explain that 1.554 euros per liter is a "competitive price." Yes, competitive with what — gold prices on the exchange? Liepāja residents have long solved the transport problem — in winter they take the tram, in summer they walk to the beach. The only thing we need to fill up is our coffee cup at the market for one euro.

But seriously — while prices in the capital rise like our famous autumn rain, we here by the seaside live peacefully and know: if we really need to drive, we can always take a bicycle. The main thing is that nobody finds oil in Liepāja port — otherwise our prices will start rising too.